The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-05-18

rs went m saw nun IN MS ordinary dress.
fully dressed, lying on top OF the bed / gave
him my hand, and be seized It convulsively,
and said: sOh, how glad I am TO see you'll Sit
down there sat down and be said: Mr..
Talmage, just where you sit now my mother
sat last night. She has been dead twenty
years- Now don't want you TO think / am
out of my mind, or that ! am superstitious;
but, sir, she sat there last night Just as Ger
tainly as you sit there now-the same cap and
apron and spectacles. 1t was my old mother
she sat there Then he turned to his wife,
and said: 81 wish you would take these
strings OF the bed; somebody is wrapping
strings around me all the time; / wish you
would stop that annoyance" She said:
ssThere is nothing here" Then saw It was
delirium-
He said: sJust where you sit now my
mother sat, and she said: Roswell, wish you
would do better-I wish you would do better.
said: Mother, wish I could do better;
try to do better, but I can't. Mother, you
used to help me; why can't you help me nowF
And, sir, got out Of bed, for i was a reality,
and went to her, and threw my arms around
her neck, and said: Mother, viii do better,
but You help; I can't do this alone'H knelt
down and prayed That night his soul went
to the Lord that made it
Arrangements were made for the obsequies.
The question was raised whether they shoAd
bring him to the church. Somebody said:
aYou cannot bring such a dissolute man as
that into the church" I said: sYou will
bring him in church: he stood by me when be
was alive, and will stand by him when he is
dead Bring him" AS i stood in the pulpit
and saw them carrying the body up the aisle,
felt as if / could weep tears of blood
On one side the pulpit sat his little child Of
s years, a sweet, beautiful little girl, that
had seen him hug convulsively in his better
| moments. He put on her all jewels, all dia-
monds, and gave her all pictures and toys,
and then he would go away, as If bounded by
| an evil spirit, to his cups and the house OF
| shame-a fool to the correction of the stocks.
| She looked up wonderingly. She knew no,
| what it all meant She was not old enough
| to understand the sorrow of an orphan child
| On the other side the pulpit sat the mer
who had ruined him; they were the men who
| had poured the wormwood into the orphan:
| cup; they were the men who had bound hin
hand and foot. knew them. How did they
| seem to feell Did they weepl No. Die
they say: @What pity that so generous
man should be destroyed" No. Did they
| sigh repentingly over what they had done
/
| at the carcass of lamb whose heart they
have ripped out. So they sat and looked a
the coffin lid, and told them the judgmen
| Of God upon those who had destroyed theil
fellows. Did they reforma / was told the,
were in the places of iniquity that night afte
| my friend was laid in Oal wood cemetery
and they blasphemed and they drank. Oh
| how merciless men are, especially after the,
have destroyed you. Do not look to men TO
comfort or help. Look to God.
But there is a man who will not reform
He says: 81 won't reform" Well, then
how many acts are there in a tragedy be
heve five.
Act the first of the tragedy: A young mai
starting off from home; parents and sister
weeping to have him go. Wagon rising owe
the hill. Farewell kiss flung back. Ring tn
bell and let the curtain fall
Act the second: The marriage altar. Ful
organ. Bright lights. Long white veil trail
ing through the aisle. Prayer and congratu
lation. and exclamation of "How well sh
| looks!"
Act the third: A woman waiting for stag
gering steps. Old garments stuck into tn
broken window-pane. Marks of hardship o.
the face. The biting of the nails of bloodles
fingers. Neglect, and cruelty, and despair
Ring the bell and let the curtain drop.
Act the fourth: Three graves in darl
place-grave of the child that died for lack O
medicine, grave of the wife that died of
broken heart, grave of the man that died o
dissipation. OH what a blasted heath wit
three graves Plenty of weeds, but n
flowers. Ring the bell and let the curtain
drop.
Act the fifth: A destroyed souls eternity
No light. No music. No hope Anguis
coiling the serpents around the heart Black
ness Of darkness forever. But cannot Loo
any longer. Wool woel l close my eyes t
this last act of the tragedy. Quick Quick
Ring the bell and let the curtain drop. are
joice, o, young man, in thy youth, and lie
thy heart rejoice in the days of thy youth
but know thou that for all these things Go
will bring you into judgment" There is
way that seemeth right to man, but tn
end thereof is DEATH